Apple took the lid off three new Apple Watch ads on Tuesday that highlight fitness, travel, and music apps instead of the more personal feel of earlier commercials. The 15 second spots offer a fast paced look at the types of apps available for the smart watch and introduce a new tag line: Apps at a tap.

I love seeing cool and unexpected uses for Google Maps, like the awesome map tracking the road trips from several classic American literary works. Atlas Obscura has what they're calling an "obsessively detailed" map showing the routes from several books such as Travels with Charlie, The Lost Continent, and (my favorite) Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. You can pick individual books and then click route points for quotes, and it's an awesome way to visualize exactly where these epic journeys took place. Be sure to clear some time before checking out Atlas Obscura's Guide to Literary Road Trips because you will get sucked in. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test and On the Road are calling to you.

Apple has a special gift for using plain words pull at our emotions and deliver product messages. Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet share their perspective on Apple's latest iPhone marketing campaign, plus they share their thoughts on Apple Watch coming to Best Buy's stores.

A Beijing business making counterfeit iPhones failed to follow one of Mac Geek Gab's tenets: Don't get caught. The business produced over 41,000 knock-off iPhones before police raided their factory and shut them down.

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Sure, you can make counterfeit Samsung Galaxy smartphones, but there's big money in knock-off iPhones—until you get caught.

Best Buy will be the first big retailer to sell Apple Watch outside of Apple's own retail stores starting in August. Adding Apple Watch to its in-store product lineup at Best Buy expands in store availability in a big way, which is good news for people who don't live near an Apple Store, and helps boost the idea that it's a product for everyone and not just the tech crowd or shopping elite.

The Mac Observer Spin The Mac Observer Spin is how we show you what our authors think about a news story at quick glance. Read More →

Best Buy's smart watch display is so bad it's embarrassing. It's a good thing Apple has its own store-in-a-store displays where Apple Watch can stand out.

India outpaced China for iPhone growth last quarter, and Apple isn't letting that momentum go to waste. The company is looking to build on the 93 percent growth it's seeing in India and break through the two percent market it currently holds. Translation: Apple is gunning for Samsung's marketshare in India.

Nest's smart thermostats aren't available in Apple's retail and online stores any more, but that doesn't necessarily mean there's been a falling out between the two companies. Bryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet with their thoughts on Nest and the word that new products are coming soon. They also respond to listener's comments on Apple Music and App Store pricing.

Losing your Fitbit really sucks, but it doesn't have to stay lost forever. With a little patience and an iPhone you can track yours down. This is something TMO's Jeff Gamet experienced first hand, and then detailed so you can find your lost Fitbit—or other Bluetooth device—too.

After years of waiting, Mulder and Scully are back together again and we're finally getting a first look at our two favorite FBI agents on screen. Fox's teaser trailer for the upcoming six episode X-Files mini series is out with mysterious lights and quick camera shots, and Mulder asking, "Are you ready for this, Scully?" We all have until January 24, 2016 to get ready, because that's when the mini series premiers.

Apple Music it taking some heat from Senator Al Franken and The Loop's Jim Dalrymple. Kelly Guimont and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to offer their take on Senator Franken's call for an FTC probe into what he thinks may be an unfair pricing advantage, and they also look at the problems that are pushing some people away from Apple Music.

Jeff Gamet

Jeff Gamet is the Mac Observer’s Managing Editor, and co-host of the Apple Context Machine podcast. He is the author of “The Designer’s Guide to Mac OS X” from Peachpit Press, and writes for several design-related publications. Jeff has presented at events such as Macworld Expo, the RSA Conference, and the Mac Computer Expo. In all his spare time, he also hosts TMO’s Daily Observations podcast, co-hosts The iOS Show podcast, and makes guest appearances on several other shows, too. Jeff dreams in HD.